In a message dated 12/29/98 4:57:43 PM PST, clrothwell@mindspring.com writes: << There is a persistent story in the family that the Downings were Quakers. >> The line of descendants of Thomas Downing, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1717, from Devonshire, England, and settled in nearby Chester county, PA, were all Quakers, largely up through the mid 1800's. The town of Downingtown, PA, was named after Thomas. Ray